Every day in the United States, 30 people lose their lives in drunk driving crashes.
If you’ve been involved in a DUI and you’re reading this, you’re lucky to be alive.
Roughly 4 million people in the U.S. engage in drunk driving. Since alcohol impairs one’s judgment, these drivers are more likely to cause accidents. When you’re in a DUI crash, perhaps a drunk driver ran into your car from behind, T-boned you, or hit you head-on, it’s important to know what to do next.
Read on to learn more about the steps you should take:
Table of Contents
1. Put Your Health and Safety First
When a road accident happens, it doesn’t matter what caused it or how it happened. Your first priority is your health and safety, as well as that of your passengers.
If you or anyone in your car has been hurt, call 911 immediately. Most accident victims die because of untreated injuries.
Even if you look physically fine, don’t take any chances, especially if the accident was a high-impact crash. Some accident injuries can cause internal bleeding and they can take a while to manifest a visible sign. Call emergency services and get medical help.
2. Try to Collect Evidence on the Scene
Take this step only if you’re certain that you haven’t been hurt.
Collecting evidence on the scene can be key to determining who was at fault for the accident. If the other driver is visibly drunk, you can use your phone camera to take images or videos. Bear in mind that a drunk driver is likely to attempt to drive away if their car wasn’t immobilized by the accident and they weren’t hurt to the extent that they can’t drive.
If they drive away before you capture the registration details of their car, it’s possible that you might never know who they were. If possible, take photos of the car’s registration number.
If the drunk driver is cooperative, ask them about their driver’s license and insurance details, but don’t push them if they aren’t willing to offer the information.
3. Call the Police
The police should typically arrive at the scene of the accident if it occurred on a busy highway, but don’t wait for them to come on their own. Call in and report the accident.
Arriving soon after a crash puts the police in a better position to determine who’s at fault for the accident. You need this report in order to take further action against the driver who was drunk driving.
4. Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
If you sustained injuries in the DUI crash, the at-fault driver needs to compensate for your injuries, trauma, and other damages. However, this isn’t going to be straightforward. The driver can refuse to admit liability. They will certainly hire a DUI lawyer to defend them.
This is why you shouldn’t hesitate to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer, like those at 4stateslaw.com. They’ll fight for you and ensure you’re compensated justly.
Don’t Let a DUI Crash Ruin Your Life
A DUI crash can be life-changing, especially if you sustain severe injuries. But it shouldn’t ruin your life. As long as you know what to do after a crash, there’s a good chance you’ll get your life together and overcome it.
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